EXCELLENCE IN MINISTRY AND LEADERSHIP
(week 06/15)
OLUBI JOHNSON
God wants us, like the Lord Jesus, to have a ministry of excellence:
Hebrews 8:6 KJV: But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
What will give us this ministry of excellence?
Integrity of heart: honesty, reliability and consistency.
Genesis 20:6 KJV: And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
Honesty of heart attracts the mercy and grace of God, which in turn enable us to be reliable and consistent like God:
Psalms 15:4 NIV: who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
2 Corinthians 1:17 NIV: When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?
Matthew 5:37 NIV: Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
We, like God, should always endeavour to keep our word: our word should be our bond!
Jeremiah 1:12 AMP: Then said the Lord to me, You have seen well, for I am alert and active, watching over My word to perform it.
Numbers 23:19 NIV: God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?
To have and maintain an honest and humble heart, we MUST RENOUNCE THE HIDDEN THINGS OF DISHONESTY IN OUR HEARTS; WE MUST NOT WALK IN CRAFTINESS AND HANDLE THE WORD OF GOD DECEITFULLY.
2Corinthians 4:2 KJV: But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
To walk in craftiness and handle the Word of God deceitfully, is to preach the promises of God’s Word, but not to preach the conditions for the fulfillment of the promises so as to deceive the people to make money out of them:
Ephesians 4:14 KJV: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
2Peter 2:3 KJV: And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Matthew 23:23 KJV: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Next week, we will see how integrity of heart enables us to be honest with men, money, prayer and the ministry of the Word.
